1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to devices for practicing sports, and in particular, this invention relates to devices for simulating a pitched or thrown ball; and most particularly this invention relates to devices for simulating pitched baseballs and softballs.
2. State of the Art
Currently, there are many devices for simulating the throwing of a ball, in this dissuasion that usually means either baseballs or softballs, although cricket balls, and other pitched or thrown balls can be substituted, for players to practice with. Typically these devices have one or more wheels, two is typical, that engage the ball as it passes through the wheels and impart speed and spin to the ball. Naturally, devices containing two wheels are limited in orientation to one plane of motion are strictly limited in the amount of spin they can impart to the ball as it passes by.
One method to get more realistic spin on the ball is to drop it through a three wheel device. But these devices, even those with only two wheels in the propelling head, tend to have the severe draw back that they impede the practicing person's ability to see the ball as it is readied by the machine for pitching to that player. A player using one of these device is trying to prefect several things, one of them being his or her timing of the swing. Therefore, some indication that the ball is about to be pitched would be of great benefit to the practicing player.
Problems with the devices as they exist include the problem of the player not being able to see the ball until after it has been released. The actual acceleration of the ball and the mechanism of the ball's release are completely obscured in current designs. Players usually need the visual cue before the ball is released to move into position or generally prepare for the hitting of the balls. To simulate the speed of a thrown pitch, the balls are propelled at high speed, sometimes nearly one hundred miles an hour. this high speed creates as safety hazard if the balls vary from the course to the player. Specifically, if one of the balls hits someone, the damage can be heavy, therefore, it is essential that fragments from a disintegrating wheel or the like be prevented from hitting a player.